Inside Connection
by Titan5
Summary: John has this nagging feeling that something is wrong with Atlantis, but he can't figure out what it is and it's driving him crazy. And it's making everyone else worry about both him and Atlantis.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** I feel the need to warn you that this story has no real plot. My computer is currently down for the count, with all my work and half-finished stories in a state of limbo. I'm having withdrawal from writing, but I'm in the middle of the chapter on most of these things and can't continue until I either retrieve the stuff on the hard drive or am forced to abandon it as lost (heaven forbid). So this is a short piece just to get some writing (okay, and some whumping) out of my system. Don't forget – I warned you.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Stargate Atlantis or anything else that is cool (or even works right – yes, I'm bitter).

**Inside Connection – Chapter 1**

By Titan5

John Sheppard sat bolt upright in bed, his heart thumping rapidly in his chest as he listened. Something had awakened him, bringing him to abrupt attention, and he was pretty sure it hadn't been a nightmare. As his vision adjusted to the dark room, he could find nothing out of place.

Crawling out of bed, he shivered slightly when the cool air hit his bare skin. He'd been warm when he went to bed and had stripped down to his boxers, a decision he was now beginning to regret. Thinking the door open, he cautiously put one bare foot out in the hall and peered first to his left, and then to his right. The corridor was dark, empty, and silent. He stood listening for almost a minute before stepping back into his quarters and closing the door.

Something wasn't right. His stomach clenched in nervous dread and his heart continued to race, almost making him dizzy. John paced the room a few laps before stopping to look at the time. Almost 0200. He'd only slept about two hours, but he knew better than to try to return. Tossing and turning with worry was not his idea of a restful night. There was only one way to handle the nervous energy that made him feel like a live wire and that was to go looking for whatever was wrong. And he knew something was wrong. He felt it in his head, his heart, and every ounce of intuition he possessed.

John hurriedly dressed and checked his sidearm before sliding it into the holster hung low on his right hip. Sometimes he felt a little like a gunslinger from an old western, but he was always glad for the backup the weapon provided. The Colonel slid out of his quarters and into the dark hallway, making his way quietly to the control room. He figured that was as good a place as any to start.

The control room was relatively quiet, with soft voices floating out to him as he approached. They sounded relaxed and someone even seemed to be laughing. John wished that would make the hairs standing at attention on the back of his neck lay back down. Entering the large room, he made his way over to Bill something, the guy in charge of the night crew.

"Colonel Sheppard? You're out early . . . or is it late?" The tall man with thinning brown hair smiled at him.

John tried to relax and not sound as uneasy as he felt. "Early, I guess. Is everything okay here?"

Bill looked puzzled, his eyebrows furrowing slightly. "Everything is fine. Is there some problem?"

John shook his head, trying to feign nonchalance. "Oh, no, no problem. Just . . . checking on things. What about off-world teams? Anyone overdue?"

Bill smiled and seemed to relax a little. "Two teams off world right now, but they aren't due back until tomorrow. No problems here."

John nodded, sticking his hands in his pockets and rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet. "Okay then . . . that's good." They stood in awkward silence for a moment while John tried to squelch the fear making his heart race so loudly he wondered if Bill could hear it. "Well, thanks. You guys do a good job."

Bill's eyes widened slightly before returning to normal. "Uh, thank you, sir."

John nodded before pointing awkwardly to the door. "I'll just be going, then." He rubbed his forehead against the headache starting to build as he made his way up the stairs to the jumper bay. He was so focused on the pervading feeling of wrongness that he nearly jumped out of his skin when the marine guarding the bay called to him.

"Colonel Sheppard, sir. What are you doing up at this time of night?"

John took a deep, calming breath as he looked at the young marine pulling the night shift. "Just thought I'd check up on things, make sure everyone is on their toes. See anything unusual tonight?"

The young soldier licked his lips and frowned thoughtfully. It was obvious he thought he was being checked up on. Just as well to let him think that. Maybe it really would keep him more alert when doing what was normally very boring guard duty.

"Everything is fine sir, nothing unusual." He looked at John as if waiting to be told he was wrong.

"Good," said John, hoping the marine was buying his _calm_ act. He nodded to the soldier and continued on into the jumper bay, carefully checking each ship. When he came to Jumper One, he even lowered the hatch and looked around inside. Nothing out of the ordinary. Satisfied that whatever was wrong was not in the jumper bay, he closed up Jumper One and gave another slight nod to the guard as he left.

John headed for the labs next. He looked in each room, but found them all dark and empty, even Rodney's. He chuckled as he realized Rodney actually did periodically leave the room to get some sleep. Nothing seemed out of place in any of the labs. No Ancient gizmos winding up or unattended experiments flashing suspiciously.

His check of the infirmary was done quickly from the hall. He knew better than to be seen roaming the city in the middle of the night by any of Beckett's crew. The physician already gave him enough grief about his eating and sleeping habits without him adding fuel to the fire. Once he was certain there was nothing amiss, he headed for the chair room.

John stood staring down at the chair for several minutes, the sense of wrongness twisting his gut into a knot. Reaching out, he touched the chair lightly and the bad feeling increased exponentially. His headache quickly took on new proportions, making him stagger forward unsteadily until he dropped to sit on the floor.

After a few minutes, his head cleared enough that he was certain the problem was with Atlantis. He wanted to call Rodney, but he wasn't sure he should just yet. He needed more information so Rodney would have a chance at fixing the city. Looking at his watch, he realized everyone would be up soon. He could check out the problem through the chair and then catch Rodney in the mess hall for breakfast to explain what was going on.

With a firm plan in place, John stood and turned to sit in the chair. To his surprise, nothing happened until he purposely reached out with his mind. This disturbed him further since the connection was usually immediate and automatic. The chair finally activated, leaning back as it powered up.

Pain. If was like an electric current bursting through his skull to travel down his spine and out into his limbs. It was hot and paralyzing, taking his breath away and causing him to gasp. The pain raced back and forth until, at some point, he became aware of his body shaking uncontrollably, making him wonder if he was having a seizure. Lightning bolts of agony continued for what seemed like a long time, but his sense of time was gone.

oOo

"Colonel Sheppard, _please _respond."

When John's eyes automatically blinked, he realized they were open and the pain was gone, except for a lingering headache. His mouth was dry and tasted of blood. Licking his lips and then moving his tongue around inside his mouth, he found the swollen area where he'd apparently bitten the inside of his lower lip. He wondered absently when that had happened. Looking around, his brain finally cleared enough to register that he was sitting in the chair room.

"John, where are you? I need you to respond or we're going to start looking for you." Elizabeth's voice was beginning to sound frightened.

John lifted his hand to turn on his radio, an effort that seemed to drain all his energy. "Sheppard here," he croaked, surprised at how rough his voice sounded.

"John, thank goodness. Where are you?"

John cleared his throat, coughing for several seconds before he was able to answer. Looking at his watch, he found it was already 0700. Ignoring the question, he provided one of his own. "What's wrong? Has something happened?" The fear returned like a storm, filling him with nervous energy so that he almost jumped from the chair. "What's going on?"

"Everything's fine, Colonel," interrupted Rodney, irritation heavy in his voice. "You just disappeared and wouldn't answer our calls, so we got worried. When you disappear like that, it's usually because you're half dead somewhere."

John paced back and forth, not sure if he should head to them or call Rodney here. He had no idea what had happened, but he still felt as though something was terribly wrong. "Rodney, there's something wrong with Atlantis. I'm in the chair room and I think maybe you should come down here. Bring your computer."

There was a heavy pause before Rodney answered. "What are you doing in the chair room and what makes you think something is wrong with Atlantis? What did you do?" His tone sounded almost accusatory.

John sighed, rubbing his eyes and willing the ache to go away. "I didn't _do_ anything. Just get down here so we can get this fixed."

After a few seconds silence, Elizabeth came back on the radio. "Rodney's gone to get his laptop and we'll meet you there in a minute. John, are you okay? And where have you been?"

"I've been here, checking on Atlantis. That's how I know something is wrong. And I'm fine."

"Okay, we're on our way."

He didn't miss the vague disbelief in Elizabeth's voice. But the overwhelming feeling that something was wrong was stronger now than ever, and his experience in the chair only confirmed that something was not right. Unable to sit still, John paced nervously for the ten minutes it took them to get there, periodically stepping out into the hall to look for their approach.

Rodney came through the door with an obvious air of authority. He began questioning John immediately, while simultaneously connecting his laptop to the links in the chair pedestal. "All right, Colonel, I need to know exactly why you think something is wrong and every single thing you've done since entering this room."

John ran his hand through his hair, trying to clear the cobwebs from his aching head. "Something woke me up earlier, this . . . feeling that something was wrong."

McKay sighed as he worked. "It's called a nightmare and, as I recall, you're quite prone to them."

John's expression tightened and his body stiffened. "It was not a nightmare, McKay. This was different. It was more . . . physical, tangible. I immediately got this very real feeling that something was wrong, but I didn't know what. I've checked on the inhabited areas of the city, but everything seemed okay."

"That's because it is." McKay paused and turned to look at John. "Please tell me this isn't one of your gut feelings." He watched John's expression sink a little and rolled his eyes. "Oh my God, it is, isn't it? I came all the way down here and left important work sitting unattended because you have a gut feeling that something is wrong. Well, that's just great."

"Rodney, give John a chance to explain," defended Elizabeth. "I'm sure there's more to it than that."

John gave a small smile to Elizabeth, thankful for her diplomatic tendencies at the moment. He was exhausted and was beginning to realize that his body felt battered and bruised. He didn't need Rodney's little tirade right now. "It's more than a gut feeling, Rodney. It's . . . it's . . . "

Rodney made a spinning motion with his hand. "Well, it's what? Spit it out, Colonel."

John stood with his mouth gaping open for a few seconds. "I don't know how to explain it. It's not like the fear of getting up on stage to speak in front of a crowd because you might make a fool of yourself. It's more like when you're already up on stage and you know something is wrong because everyone is snickering, but you haven't actually figured out that your fly is open yet."

Rodney snickered. "So, would that be a personal story, Colonel?"

"It doesn't matter," John snapped, wishing he'd skipped picking this analogy from the John Sheppard book of embarrassing moments. "The point is I can feel something is wrong."

"Do you mean through Atlantis?" asked Elizabeth.

John hesitated, half frowning and half smirking. "Sort of."

Rodney stood from his position kneeling on the floor. "I'm not showing any problems here, so define _sort of_."

"She's sending me mixed signals, like she's okay, but not okay."

"Oh, this is sweet," muttered Rodney.

Elizabeth cut her eyes to Rodney and then looked back at John. "All right, so what does any of this have to do with the chair room?"

John nodded, anxious to fill in the gap so they would believe him that there was a problem. "I came here to connect through the chair and see if I could find out what was wrong. I've been able to get deeper into the city from here than anywhere."

"Did you find anything?" asked Rodney.

"It hurt," said John softly.

Elizabeth frowned and stepped closer. "Excuse me?"

John shrugged one shoulder nervously, not wanting to reveal too much about what had happened. "It hurt. When I connect, it's . . . amazing, almost euphoric. It wears me out, but it's a good experience. This one was . . . not so good."

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at him, visually checking him over. "How not so good was it? Are you okay?"

John nodded. "Yeah, it just felt wrong. Chaotic and disorienting. Something is very wrong with the city."

Rodney looked up at Sheppard from the computer screen. "When did this happen?"

John shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not sure exactly . . . maybe around 0530 or so."

Rodney nodded. "I'm reading an energy spike from the chair about that time and it lasted almost twenty minutes. Were you in the chair all that time?"

John swallowed, not liking the direction the conversation had taken. "Yeah."

Rodney stood and took a step toward him, obviously studying the colonel. "If even a small percentage of that energy went through you, it did a lot more than just hurt. Did you lose consciousness?"

"I'm fine, McKay," John said sharply. "Look, the reason I wanted you down here was to find out what's wrong with my city. Can you do that or not?"

Rodney sighed. "Right now, the only abnormality is the energy spike. Are you sure you didn't do anything to cause it? Send off some subconscious command for something unusual?"

"No, I just tried to link with her to find out what was happening. Then it felt like I was being hit by lightning over and over. There was never a clear, coherent connection, like she was shorting out or something."

Elizabeth closed the few feet between them and took John by the arm. "I want you to go see Carson right now. We have no way of knowing what that may have done to you."

John chuckled. "I know, it made my headache worse. I'm _fine_ Elizabeth, I promise. I'll check with Carson later for a Tylenol or something."

"You never answered Rodney's question about losing consciousness."

Silence stretched out for several moments. "That's a yes," said Rodney.

"Carson, now. I'll even walk you there to make sure you don't get lost," said Elizabeth firmly.

John shook his head and pulled away from her grasp, the fear in his stomach moving up a notch. "No, there is still something wrong. We have to find it. It may not be showing up in the systems yet, but it's there and it's going to cause something bad."

"That gut feeling again?" asked Rodney. When John glared at him, he flinched and began disconnecting his computer. "Look, go see Carson and I'll take this data and go to the control room and start analyzing from that end, see if I can find any potential problems. If something is wrong, I'll find it."

John took a deep breath and his shoulders relaxed a little. "Okay, thanks Rodney."

"It's what I do, now go."

John let Elizabeth take his arm again and guide him out of the room, even though his heart was still racing in his chest and his stomach was still tied in a knot. He mentally begged Rodney to find out what was wrong before they all had to deal with the consequences.

oOo

Carson let the blood pressure cuff slide off Sheppard's arm. "You're pressure is high and your heart is racing, Colonel. How fast did you two walk up here?"

Elizabeth, standing at the foot of the bed, crossed her arms. "Not fast, we just walked."

Carson nodded as he recorded his reading. "That's too high, then." Setting the chart down, he pulled his penlight from his coat pocket. "All right, Colonel, let's have a look." The second the light hit his face, John closed both eyes and turned away with a grunt. Carson paused only a second. "Light sensitive, too."

John turned back around, rubbing his eyelids. "I didn't get much sleep last night, doc. I just haven't adjusted to the daytime lighting yet."

Carson pursed in lips and looked at Sheppard. "Son, that doesn't explain away the symptoms you're showing. How bad is the headache?"

John shrugged his shoulders reluctantly, dreading being told he was stuck in the infirmary. He couldn't figure out what was wrong if he was stuck in a bed. "It's manageable. All I need is a couple of Tylenol and I'll be good to go."

"I don't think so, Colonel."

John felt the agitation rising, along with the feeling of dread. "Doc, something is wrong with this city. Let me find out what it is and make sure everyone is safe and then you can dote all you want. But for now, I have work to do." He slid off the bed, a wave of dizziness making him sway and killing his credibility.

"Yes, Colonel, I can see you're fine," said Carson sarcastically.

A bit steadier on his feet, John looked sternly at Carson. "Doc, I have to keep everyone safe. It's my job. Just give me some Tylenol and I'll come back later."

Carson looked at the soldier for several seconds. He walked across the room and returned a minute later with a brown pill and a cup of water. "Take this."

John's eyes widened. "The good ibuprofen?"

Carson nodded as John took the pill. "You look like you could use it. I'm letting you go on the condition that you get something to eat and go rest for a couple of hours. And let me know if it gets worse or you have any other symptoms."

"Doc, I just missed a few hours of sleep. It's not like that isn't a common occurrence around here. How many nights have you gone without _any_ sleep?"

"Several, actually, and you've been the cause of a lot of those. But I didn't have a bad encounter with an Ancient chair that left me unconscious for an hour. Food and rest, Colonel, or you stay here."

John sighed and grimaced. "Fine, food and check with Rodney and then rest. I won't be able to sleep if I don't know what's going on."

Carson nodded, but didn't seem too happy. "All right, check with Rodney first."

John smiled and patted Carson on the shoulder. "Thanks, Carson. I'll check in with you later." Turning, he was gone in a matter of seconds.

"Is he really all right?" asked Elizabeth as the two of them watched the Colonel disappear around the corner.

Beckett sighed. "Aye, I think so. He's tired, more from the chair than from any lack of sleep. I suspect he's running on adrenalin from the way he's acting and I think that may have been going on for a while now. That worries me a bit. But I think with some rest and if we can ease his mind that Atlantis is safe, he'll be fine."

Elizabeth nodded and turned to face the doctor. "What do you think about his insistence that something is wrong, even though no one can find anything?"

"Well, the Colonel has good instincts and he does have an inside connection to the city. Maybe he's picking up on something not yet available to the sensors. On the other hand, he was rather obsessive about protecting us and the city, even for him. The Colonel takes his job as protector more seriously than anyone I've ever seen and he feels each loss personally. Stress could be affecting his judgment and perceptions."

"What do you suggest?" she asked.

"Well, I'd do everything to check up on what he's saying, but I think we should keep an extra eye on him as well. If this goes on for a while and nothing shows up, we may have to step in, try to convince him that he's overreacting."

Elizabeth frowned and looked toward the door Sheppard had exited through. "I hope it doesn't come to that."

"Aye, me too. It would be hard on the lad."

"Thank you Carson. Now, I didn't have time for breakfast myself this morning, so I think I'll head to the mess hall as well."

Carson grinned, his blue eyes twinkling. "You wouldn't be going to spy on the dear Colonel, would you?" 

Elizabeth shook her head as she took a step toward the door. "Not at all. I'm shocked you would suggest such a thing."

Carson continued to smile as Elizabeth walked out the door. "Better watch out Colonel," he whispered.

oOo

John stopped to lean against the wall a moment, his headache growing sharp and making him dizzy. Several seconds later, the pain level lowered to something more tolerable and the world stopped spinning lazily around him. He was so full of nervous energy, when he held out his hand, it shook like that of an old man. If they didn't find the problem soon, John was pretty sure he'd literally have to climb the walls. He shuddered when that brought back memories of his partial conversion into a bug and his ability to actually climb the walls. Not going there, he thought.

John entered the mess hall and headed for the food line. When he was close, the smell of sausage and eggs almost gagged him, stirring up nausea to burn in his gut. Breathing carefully through his mouth, he grabbed a couple of pieces of toast and a banana and headed for the farthest table. He wasn't trying to be anti-social, just escape the smell. John knew he needed to eat something before he tracked down Rodney, but he also wanted it to stay put once he ate it.

John took a bite of toast and then felt Atlantis tremble. His head shot up and he looked frantically around the room, searching for a sign that someone besides him was aware of it. Everyone was calmly going about their business. John felt the shudder again, but still no one else reacted. The knot in his stomach became a large, heavy rock and a sharp pain lanced through his skull from temple to temple. Breathing through it, the pain finally eased a bit so that John took a deep breath. He looked up to find several people at the next table staring at him.

Standing so fast, he almost knocked his chair over, John left his tray where it was and hurried for the door, frantic to find Rodney. He wanted to talk to the scientist in person, though, where he could see his expressions. You could learn more from watching Rodney's face than you could ever learn listening to the man. That was how John knew when to push for a miracle.

As he went through the door, he collided with Elizabeth, knocking them both off balance. They each grabbed at the other's arm and managed to right themselves without falling.

Elizabeth gasped. "John, are you all right? You're white as a sheet."

"Gotta to," he said. "She keeps calling me."

"Who? Atlantis? What's she saying?" asked Elizabeth, genuinely mesmerized by the possibility.

"She says she needs help," John replied softly. "And I'm the only one that can."

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **First of all, thanks for the overwhelming response. When I borrowed an internet connection long enough to check the reviews, I was shocked. I'm sorry I can't answer them all, but I'm still borrowing computer and internet time, so it's limited. That's why the delay in posting this chapter. I hope you continue to enjoy.

**Inner Connection – Chapter 2**

Elizabeth hesitated only a second and then turned to follow her military leader down the corridor. "What do you mean? Atlantis actually asked you for help?"

"Not with words," he said as he walked.

"So it's really still just a feeling?"

John didn't say anything, but continued to walk ahead determinedly. Arriving at the control room a few minutes later, he scanned the room until his eyes landed on Rodney. John walked quickly over to him. "Rodney, you find anything yet?"

Without looking up, Rodney answered. "Not yet, Sheppard, I told you I'd let you know. Did you actually get Carson to let you go?"

"Naturally, McKay, since there's nothing wrong with me. Whatever is wrong with Atlantis is getting worse."

Rodney finally looked up. "How do you know that?"

"I just . . . I can feel it, okay? It's starting to feel different, worse. We need to find the problem."

McKay rolled his eyes and looked back at his computer screen. "That's what I'm trying to do, Colonel, and it would move a lot faster if you weren't standing here annoying me. Now go away and I'll call you if I need you, heaven forbid." McKay looked up at Sheppard. "Why are you still here? Go away."

Elizabeth watched as John backed up a step, almost like he was uncertain about what to do. He looked tired and nervous and just a little bit scared. "Do as he says John. Go back to your quarters and get some rest. We'll call you if anything happens."

John stood clenching and unclenching his fists, before finally nodding and leaving the control room.

McKay turned to watch him leave. "What's wrong with him? He's a nervous wreck and he's _never _a nervous wreck, not even when facing Wraith."

"I don't know, Rodney, but he's really convinced there's a problem with the city. Get Radek to help you and look at everything, no matter how insignificant it seems."

Rodney looked at her a few seconds. "He's got you spooked, doesn't he?"

"More so than I've been in a while. Just keep looking."

oOo

John had honestly tried to sleep. He'd been in bed for almost two and a half hours and had actually dozed off once, only to be awaked by someone dropping something heavy in the hall outside his room and then cursing said object very loudly. But he'd had enough. Trying to lie in bed was making him crazy, now that he was wide awake again. Getting up, he decided he needed a shower.

After a hot shower, he smelled better, but it didn't ease his tension any. Looking in the foggy mirror, he rubbed the stubble covering his face and decided to shave. He didn't really feel like expending the energy, but he also knew there wasn't much else for him to do. Besides, if he was clean and pressed and professional in his appearance, maybe everyone wouldn't think he was a complete lunatic when he kept insisting something was wrong. He looked at his wild hair and the dark smudges under his eyes. Put that with his unshaven face and he looked somewhat like a crazed derelict. No wonder everyone was looking at him funny.

Thirty minutes later he was dressed in a new uniform, clean shaven, and ready to go. He figured he'd check in with Rodney first. "Rodney, it's Sheppard."

His radio crackled with an annoyed voice. _"No, I haven't found anything, and yes, I'm still working on it, and yes, I still need you to leave me alone."_

The radio went dead, indicating Rodney was finished. John couldn't help but smile, in spite of the fear gripping him. You could always count on Rodney to be Rodney. Since he'd checked out the rest of the possibilities, John decided to have a look at the uninhabited parts of the city for signs of the problem. Checking his gun and grabbing his pack, he headed out the door.

John took the transporters as far as he could and then struck out on foot. He had a mental plan on how to systematically check the whole city, but he hoped he wouldn't have to actually carry through with it. Realistically, he would never finish. He probably needed help, but he didn't know what to tell people to look for and he was pretty sure Rodney and Elizabeth had just been humoring him so far. And Carson looked at him like he did when John was overly paranoid after a bad mission, meaning the good doctor suspected he was one taco short a combination plate.

John was starting his search with the area being recently explored by combination military and scientific teams. It was possible someone had inadvertently activated something or set off a disastrous chain of events. Stepping into the first lab, he slowly made his way around the room. Nothing seemed to be blinking or bleeping or looked particularly disturbed. After several minutes and two complete sweeps, he was satisfied and moved to the next room. This was going to take a while. While his headache was better than before, it was still making itself well-known. On top of that, he was still wound up and tense, like he was when he was expecting a Wraith to pop out at any minute. This was going to be a long day.

oOo

Elizabeth walked out of her office, stretching her back as she went. Scanning the room, she noticed Rodney sitting at a work station staring at the computer screen. For once he wasn't a flurry of motion. She took a step down to go stand right beside him. "Rodney, are you still here? It's almost six-thirty."

Rodney leaned his head to the right, stretching his neck, and then switched over to lean to the left. Straightening his spine, he reached back and massaged his neck with his hand. "Well, obviously I'm still here, thanks to Colonel False Alarm. I've wasted the whole day and still haven't found anything. There is nothing wrong with Atlantis."

The lights flickered several times in a row before returning to their normal setting. "You were saying?" said Elizabeth.

Rodney was already hitting the keys of the computer pad with lightning speed and muttering to himself.

"Elizabeth, have you seen Colonel Sheppard?"

Elizabeth turned to see Carson walking toward them. "No, not since this morning. I thought maybe he was finally getting some sleep and I didn't want to disturb him."

Carson shook his head. "I've left him alone for the same reason, but I just came from his room and he's not there. I took a look in the mess hall as well, but no one has seen him since this morning."

"Have you tried his radio?" asked Elizabeth.

"No, I didn't. I was hoping I could just run into him so he didn't feel so . . . you know. The Colonel hates it when I check up on him."

"So you wanted to check up on him without him realizing you were checking up on him," said Rodney.

"Exactly."

Elizabeth turned back to Rodney. "Did you figure out what happened with the lights?"

Rodney shrugged his shoulders. "Momentary power glitch. It happens. Everything's okay now."

"And you're sure it's not a sign of a bigger problem?" asked Elizabeth.

"I can't be sure, but everything is fine now. If there's a bigger problem, it's hiding somewhere."

Elizabeth nodded and reached for her radio. "John, it's Elizabeth, please respond."

"_Elizabeth? Is there a problem?" _No one missed the worried edge to his voice.

"Nothing big, just the lights flickering a few times. Rodney thinks it was a temporary power glitch. Where are you?"

"_Looking for trouble. Tell Rodney that's just the beginning."_

Elizabeth frowned. "The beginning of what? Have you found something?"

"_Unfortunately no. The problem is still there, even if Rodney can't detect it yet. Whatever it is, I think it's buried pretty deep. I can't get to itt and I don't think Atlantis knows what it is either. She isn't feeling the full effects yet, so it'll get worse before it gets better."_

Elizabeth sighed. "Look, you must have been out there for a while now and it's getting late. Why don't you meet Rodney, Carson, and I in the mess hall for a late supper. We've all been working and haven't eaten as well."

"_Elizabeth, I need to keep looking."_

Carson decided it was time to intervene. "Lad, you need to come back and let me have a look at you. If you drop from exhaustion, you won't be able to help Atlantis or anyone else. Now come on back and get something to eat and let me do another exam to make sure you aren't having any long-term effects from the chair."

There was a pause while they all waited on him to argue, but then they were surprised. _"All right. I'll need to get cleaned up first. Give me about an hour and I'll meet you in the mess hall."_

Elizabeth smiled and nodded at Carson. "Okay, we'll see you in an hour. If you're not there, I'm sending Lorne after you."

"_Yeah, I figured. I'll be there. Sheppard out."_

"Well, gentlemen," said Elizabeth. "I'll see you in an hour."

oOo

John set his tray on the table and sat down beside Rodney, across from Elizabeth and Carson. "Told you I'd be here." He pushed his still damp hair off his forehead and sat down. The last thing he felt like doing was sitting down and eating, but he knew he had to placate the people at the table before he could go back to his search. So he concentrated on hiding the fact that he was so nervous and jumpy he could barely sit still.

"How long have you been out there searching?" asked Elizabeth.

John shrugged his shoulders and stuffed a bite of turkey sandwich in his mouth to give himself a few seconds. "Uh, since a little after noon. I thought maybe the areas of the city we've been opening up the last few weeks might have a clue, something accidentally set off or activated. Haven't found anything yet, though."

"Did you get any sleep?" asked Carson, watching John carefully.

"Couple of hours," John lied. He thought maybe the fact that he had tried that long should count for something.

Carson didn't look convinced, but let it pass. "How's the headache?"

"Better. Not gone, but better than it was. And no, I haven't had any other problems or dizzy spells." That at least was the truth.

"That's good, but I still want to take a look at you after we finish here."

John nodded. "Okay, no problem. Rodney, have you found anything at all?"

Rodney paused, letting his hand come to rest on the table. "No, not really. I found a few odd power readings here and there, and then the glitch with the lights earlier, but nothing serious. Maybe . . . could you just be picking up minor stuff like that and . . . I don't know, kind of blowing it out of proportion."

John looked at Rodney, making sure they had eye contact. "When have you ever known me to overreact?"

Rodney looked down. "Never. That's usually my job."

"Look," John said awkwardly. "I know you guys think I'm losing it –"

"No one thinks that," Elizabeth interrupted.

John's face broke into a crooked grin. "It's okay. In your position, I would think I'm losing it too. I have no proof, it's all based on what's going on inside me and I know you can't understand that. Just . . . promise you'll keep looking. It will show up eventually and I want to be ready for it."

Elizabeth nodded. "All right John, we can do that. But you can't run yourself into the ground looking for this. You need to get some rest."

John nodded. "I know, I will. When are Teyla and Ronon coming back from the mainland?"

"Tomorrow night," answered Elizabeth.

John nodded. "Good. Maybe they can help if I haven't figured this thing out by then, although I have no idea how." John felt better about things when his team was working together. They had such different perspectives that what one couldn't see, usually another could. Their methods and talents just seemed to mesh together perfectly.

Carson noticed that John had stopped eating, leaving almost half his sandwich. "Colonel, you need to finish that. I'm guessing you haven't eaten all day."

"Hey, I had a power bar this afternoon. Besides, I'm not hungry. Tension does that to me. Help me solve this thing and I'll eat a meal that would fill Rodney up for a while."

Rodney stopped chewing and glared at John. "And what is _that_ supposed to mean? You know, never mind. I'll have you know that I do not eat too much. It's hardly my fault that you barely eat enough to ward off starvation. You should take a page out of Ronon's book of proper nutrition. He can –"

"Rodney, I'm kidding," said John, grinning.

Rodney scowled for a moment, mumbled something under his breath, and went back to eating.

"Well, Colonel, I need to see you for a few moments in the infirmary and then I expect you to go back to your quarters and get some sleep. Is that clear?" Carson was wearing his no nonsense, I expect obedience expression.

John gave a mock salute. "Yes, sir. Just let me grab a cup of coffee."

Carson looked horrified. "Absolutely not! Caffeine is the _last_ thing you need right now. No coffee."

John's expression fell. "But I haven't had any all day."

Carson grinned and leaned forward slightly toward Sheppard. "Buck up, Colonel."

John sighed. Revenge wasn't so sweet when you were on the receiving end.

oOo

John didn't feel too guilty as he entered the darkened and long abandoned lab. He had actually managed to sleep a couple of hours before waking to what he could only describe as Atlantis screaming at him. His headache was flourishing and there was now a constant, almost painful high-pitched whine in his head. H wasn't sure if he was hearing it or feeling it, but it had set his last nerve on edge. There was no way he could sit in his room waiting for it to be a decent hour and if the others couldn't understand that, it was their problem. Carson had given him some Tylenol, which had helped at first. That was probably why he'd been able to get some sleep.

A noise had him jerking around, hands gripping the P90 until his knuckles were white. He relaxed slightly as he realized it was the outer walls creaking in the wind. The older, water damaged parts of the city sometimes did that. He resumed his search, finding the usual frustrating nothing. John rubbed the side of his head, wishing the headache would go away, if only for a while.

When he was back in the hall, he wandered over to a window, letting his P90 sag as he relaxed his arms. This level was just above the water and the rising sun streamed in the window, reflecting off the ocean below. It was a beautiful sight, one he never got tired of. This was a slightly different view that what he normally saw and he was momentarily grateful for the experience. The knotting tension grated away, however, drawing him back to his search.

oOo

"I think Sheppard is at it again," reported Rodney as he sat down beside Carson. "I checked his room to see if he wanted to grab breakfast with us and he wasn't there. On the plus side, his bed looks slept in. Either that, or there was a small tornado in his quarters."

Elizabeth shook her head from across the table. "What should we do, Carson?"

Carson sipped his coffee for a second and then set his cup down. "I guess let him be for the time being. He's wound up tighter than a spring right now and I think we'd not be able to keep him still without sedation. He's exhausting himself, but other than that, I suppose there's no harm. There is always the possibility that he's right, in which case he might find the answer he's looking for."

"The area has been cleared for more investigation by the science department, so he should be relatively safe," said Elizabeth. "Should I send someone to keep an eye on him?"

"Might not be a bad idea," said Rodney. "Of course, on the other hand, it might piss him off that you want to keep tabs on him."

"They could offer to help," said Elizabeth.

"You said Ronon and Teyla are coming back later today?" asked Carson.

Elizabeth nodded. "This afternoon."

"I think I'd wait til then and send them. In the mean time, we can keep tabs by radio, ask him if he's found anything," suggested Carson.

Elizabeth nodded. "All right. I think our first radio check is going to be now." She reached up and activated her radio. "John, I assume you're searching the outer part of the city again."

"_Yes, I am. Is that a problem?"_

"No, just wanted to check in with you. Find anything yet?"

"_Don't you think I would have contacted you if I had?"_

Elizabeth smirked. "It's hard to tell with you sometimes. Just check in with me periodically so I know how you're progressing . . . and that you're okay. I can send some people to help you if you'd like."

"_I'm not exactly sure what I'm looking for, but help would be good."_

Elizabeth raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Okay, I'll get a team together and contact you about where to meet. We'll let you know if we find anything on this end."

"_Thanks Elizabeth. And tell Carson I'm fine and yes, I slept a while. Sheppard out."_

Elizabeth smiled, grateful that he had accepted help. If anything did happen, he wouldn't be down there alone. She started to reach for her radio again, but stopped when her gaze landed on Major Lorne sitting at a table across the mess hall. "Be right back. I have a major to see about a certain colonel."

oOo

John stood before the console, contemplating the darkened structure. It was getting late and he knew the men helping him were tired. He made a decision to send them back and continue the search alone. Once they were back, Elizabeth or Carson would call and complain about him staying, but Atlantis was getting worse and he couldn't afford to stop now. The pain in his head was almost unbearable and he was pretty sure that was some kind of indicator.

"Colonel, we've finished this section," said Lorne from behind him. John turned to face the major.

"Good. I think everyone's had enough for now. Why don't you take your men and head back. I'm just going to look for a while longer."

Lorne looked uncertain. "Uh, sir, you've been here all day. Maybe you should come back with us and we can start again in the morning. You look tired." Tired didn't even begin to cover Sheppard's appearance. He was dirty from searching derelict, long abandoned labs. The stubble from his lack of shaving that morning combined with the bags under his eyes and the pain lines from the headache to make him look weary beyond his years.

John looked firmly at Lorne. "Major, I'm staying here for a while longer. Take your men back to the city, that's an order. And when Dr. Weir asks, tell her I'm fine."

"Is that also an order, sir?" asked Lorne, an edge of frustration to his voice.

John sighed wearily. "Whatever, Major. Just . . . go." John didn't wait for a reply, but turned and walked out of the room, heading down the hall to the next section. When he reached the next search area a few minutes later, he leaned against the wall. His heart rate had escalated again and he felt like the top of his head was about to blow off. Pinpoints of light danced across his vision for a second and it felt like the room suddenly tilted to one side. John slid down the wall to sit in the floor before he fell. Leaning his head forward, he rested his forehead against his knees.

It was several minutes before the vertigo passed and John felt brave enough to lift his head. Opening his eyes, he looked across the lab he'd stumbled into. A cold shiver that seemed to come from the wall behind him raced down his spine.

"Is this it? Are you trying to tell me this is where the problem is?" John got to his feet, staggering a moment as he got his balance. The lights had vanished, but the headache had not and the screaming in his head was at an all time high. John walked unsteadily over to the console against the far wall. Reaching his hand out, he touched the panel and it flickering, trying to come to life. He found that strange, since he didn't think this area had power. He hit his radio button, excitement now joining the fear that filled him.

"Rodney, it's Sheppard."

"_What is it now?"_

John ignored the irritation in Rodney's voice. "You and Zelenka investigated some lab last week that you were excited about. Where was it and what did it do?"

There was a pause, making John wonder if Rodney was going to ignore his question. _"Oh, okay, I remember. It was . . . Section G8 . . . third level I think. It had all kinds of new information on Atlantis's operating systems we hadn't seen before. It also had some research the Ancients had been working on to increase the efficiency of the ZPMs. Radek and I were excited because we thought it was also going to tell how to build ZPMs. Tthe console was in bad shape and we had trouble accessing the information, so I tried downloading it into my computer. But the data was so messed up, it locked up my computer every time I tried to analyze it."_

"Well, I think that's where I am now and I also think this is the where the problem originated. Why is there power in here?"

"_It's not much. We just rerouted enough we could bring the database up and try to down load it. I'm surprised it's still working. I should probably cut it off. And what makes you think it's causing problems?"_

John ignored Rodney's question, knowing the response he would get if he answered it honestly. "I think it's too late for that, but eventually you probably should anyway. Right now, I'm going to do some investigating and see what I can figure out. Maybe you should look at that data again."

"_Can't. I deleted all of it. I told you, Colonel, it was screwing up my computer."_

John sighed. "All right, thanks anyway. I may need you later."

"_Oh, gee, I'll be waiting with bated breath." _There was no missing the sarcasm.

One corner of John's mouth turned up. Rodney could always get him, no matter how rotten he felt or how tense the situation. "That's good to know, Rodney. Sheppard out."

John sat down carefully in an old chair, making sure it would hold up before he relaxed his full weight. When it seemed the chair would stay together, he reached out and touched the panel, causing it to flicker to life with a groan. His headache flared, but he kept his palm planted firmly on the console. _I'm working on it, Atlantis, just hang on._

TBC

_Well, it seems that I'm more longwinded than I thought, as usual. I really do think I can finish it with one more. I'll try to get it up tomorrow._


	3. Chapter 3

**Note: **Thanks again for the wonderful reviews. You guys have lifted my spirits tremendously. Computer is still looking like a lost cause, but I don't feel quite so much like banging my head against the wall. I may hate computers right now, but I LOVE you guys. Oh, for anyone interested, Nick makes a brief appearance.

**Inside Connection – Chapter 3**

"Jumper Three is docking," said Chuck, glancing back at Elizabeth.

She nodded, relieved that Ronon and Teyla were back and hoping they would be able to talk John into stopping his search for the night. It was already late and she suspected he'd been at it almost twenty-four hours now. He had to be exhausted. She could always order him to stop, but she liked to pick her battles and she wasn't sure that was the best course of action. She was almost to the door when the alarm began blaring.

"Unexpected off world activation," said the tech. A few seconds later, he added, "Lt. Hinton's IDC. They're transmitting."

Elizabeth rushed back to stand beside Chuck as the transmission came through. "Atlantis, this is Hinton, we're coming in hot and we have wounded." They could hear the sound of shouting and gunfire in the background.

The marines in the gateroom immediately went into action, taking up defensive positions around the gate. The technician on the other side of her called for a medical team as she responded to the Lt. "Understood. We're lowering the shield for you right now," she said as she nodded to Chuck.

Almost immediately, stunner blasts began arcing through the gateroom as people ducked behind cover. Four men came through the gate, two supporting an unconscious teammate while the fourth man limped, barely on his feet. They all four collapsed on the floor when the gate shut down. Carson and his medical team were there ten seconds later, checking their patients and shuffling them to the infirmary. Elizabeth hurried down the steps to the organized motion on the floor below.

"Carson?"

The doctor nodded to the nurse next to him and the gurney they had been standing over was quickly on its way to the infirmary. Carson turned back to Elizabeth. "Simmons is bleeding internally and we have to get him to surgery. I don't think any of the rest of them are seriously injured, but they all need medical attention. I'm afraid your briefing will have to wait for a while." Carson turned and followed the gurney out the door.

Lt. Hinton had the soldier helping him limp to the infirmary pause beside Elizabeth. "It was Wraith, ma'am. They attacked the Necian village while we were there and we tried to fight back, but there were too many of them. Some of the villagers made it to their underground hiding places, but a lot of them were taken or killed. We were lucky to get out alive."

Elizabeth nodded to the injured man. "I'm sure you did what you could, Lt. Right now you need to get your injuries attended to and you can give me a report later. I'm just glad you were able to make it back."

The man lowered his head to look at the floor. "So many died. If we had just had a few minutes warning . . . or there had been more of us. I just wish –"

"Lt., we do what we can do. I know that's often not enough, but that isn't necessarily our fault. We can't magically predict these things so we can be ready. I wish we could, but we can't. You got your men out and that's what's important. Now get to the infirmary so you can get tended to." She couldn't help but think that Sheppard's desire to save everyone had rubbed off on his men.

The battered soldier gave a small, grateful smile. "Thank you ma'am." As the man was helped out of the room, Ronon and Teyla watched him limp away and then made their way over to Elizabeth.

"What happened?" asked Ronon.

"Wraith apparently attacked Lt. Hinton's team while they were with the Necians. I need to get to the infirmary and make sure everyone is okay."

"Where is Colonel Sheppard?" asked Teyla.

Elizabeth sighed. "That is a long story." She looked at the two teammates for several seconds, trying to decide what to do. They both looked tired and dirty. She knew they had been helping the Athosians harvest some of the fruit they had been cultivating before a big storm hit later that week and ruined the last year's work. She really hated to ask them to traipse all the way across the city just to babysit John, although she knew they would in a heartbeat.

"Elizabeth?" asked Teyla, sensing that something was going on.

"It's late and you two look really tired. Why don't we meet in the morning for breakfast and I'll fill you in. I may even need a favor by then."

Ronon and Teyla looked at one another and then back to Elizabeth. "If you are certain," said the Athosian.

Elizabeth nodded. "I'm sure. Get some rest and I'll see you in the morning." Teyla and Ronon gave a short nod and then headed down the corridor. Elizabeth tapped her radio.

"John, are you still out there?"

"_I think I may have found something, Elizabeth. I'll contact you later."_

The radio went dead instantly. She didn't know whether to be worried by the cryptic message or relieved that John was all right. Elizabeth rubbed her head and realized that now she was getting a headache, no doubt initiated by a certain lieutenant colonel.. She started for the infirmary, intending to check on the injured soldiers and talk with Carson about John. The lights flickered several times, making her pause and hope that if there really was a problem, that John had found it.

oOo

Carson dropped heavily into the chair, rubbing his eyes and then moving his hand to his temple. The headache had been building for a while and was beginning to reach epic proportions. He'd managed a few hours of sleep, but it had been a restless, worried sleep.

"Here, thought you could use this." A cup of coffee appeared in front of him.

Carson looked up as he accepted the cup. "Thank you, Nick. What time is it?"

Nick Strauhan sat down beside his CO. "A little after 0530. You're supposed to be sleeping, you know. I can handle this."

"Aye, I know. I couldn't sleep any longer. I just feel all nervous and jittery. I think the colonel is starting to get to me."

Nick frowned as he looked at Carson. "You have the ATA gene, second strongest to the Colonel. You think maybe this thing is starting to affect you as well."

"I don't know. I have no idea if there is actually anything going on with the city. Rodney keeps saying everything is fine, but the colonel . . . I've never seen him like this and he doesn't go off on wild hairs like certain other members of this expedition. It gives reason for pause."

An approaching figure got the attention of both men and they watched as Elizabeth sat down beside Carson. "You look exhausted, Carson. Won't Nick let you go to bed?" she asked with a smirk.

Nick shrugged his shoulders. "I sent him to bed a few hours ago and he's back. Just can't get rid of him. Must be my charming personality."

"Yes, that's it," said Carson sarcastically. "No, I was just worried, felt like I needed to be here."

Elizabeth nodded. "How's Simmons?"

Carson turned back to Nick. "I just got here myself. How _is_ Simmons?"

"He should make a full recovery. It was close there for a while, but he managed to hang on. He's finally stable and his pressure is up to a more acceptable level. What are you doing up?" Nick nodded his head toward Elizabeth.

"I couldn't sleep," she admitted. "Combination of worry for these men and for John. I've been trying to check in with him every couple of hours to make sure he's okay. He's got to be exhausted. He said he found something earlier, but he won't say what. Said he was still gathering information."

Carson's eyes widened. "He's still out there? When was the last time you talked to him?"

"About an hour and a half ago. I was just about to check with him again."

Carson nodded. "Check with him, then. This is starting to concern me."

"John, it's Elizabeth. How's it going?" They waited for a minute before she tried again. "John, please respond." She looked worriedly up to Carson when the radio stayed silent.

"Could he have sat down to rest and dozed off? I know he's bound to be exhausted," said Nick. It was obvious from his expression and tone of voice that he was hopeful that was what happened, but didn't really believe it.

"I know, but what if that's not it? What if he collapsed or something happened to him? I'm calling Ronon and Teyla to go get him," said Elizabeth.

"Aye, if he's awake, he's more likely to come with them than anyone. If he argues, tell Ronon to bring him back anyway. Enough is enough. He's running himself into the ground with this obsession." Carson bent over and squeezed his eyes shut against the sudden flare up of his headache.

"Carson, what's wrong?" asked Elizabeth, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Carson, tell me what's going on," said Nick as he knelt in front of the doctor.

Carson rubbed the side of his head until the pain receded and then sat up. "It's all right, just a headache. It's been building since yesterday and all this nonsense with the city and the Wraith attack hasn't helped any. I'll be fine."

"You don't think it has anything to do with what John's been saying about the city, do you? He's had a headache since this whole thing began," said Elizabeth.

Carson sighed, rubbing the side of his head again. "I don't know. I suppose it's possible. If there really is something wrong, I wish it would just get to the crisis and be done with it, one way or another. Either way, the Colonel has got to get some rest or he won't be in any shape to deal with anything."

Elizabeth nodded and reached for her radio. "Ronon, Teyla, this is Elizabeth. We have a problem and I need you to meet me in my office as soon as you can."

oOo

John realized he was lying on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. He had no idea how long he'd been there or even where he was for a few moments. The intense headache made him wonder briefly if he'd suffered a head injury. Lifting his head a few inches to look around, he recognized the room and the memory of his frantic search fell into place. He sat up, a little too quickly, and closed his eyes against the dizziness. There was something he had to do, but he couldn't remember what. Using the dark console next to him for leverage, he pulled himself to his feet and began to stagger from the room. He made it to the hall before he had to stop and lean against the wall, waiting on the spinning to stop.

"Colonel Sheppard?" He startled at the sound of Teyla's voice calling him. The next thing he knew, she and Ronon were standing on either side of him.

"Sheppard, are you okay?"

John looked up at Ronon. "Yeah, I'm good. What are you doing here?"

The large man grinned down at the pilot. "Dr. Weir and Dr. Beckett sent us. They got worried when you wouldn't answer your radio."

John put his hand to the side of his head and found his radio missing. "I must have dropped it. Sorry."

Teyla took him by the arm, watching him carefully. "John, you are to come back with us."

John looked confused a moment, looking back toward the lab. "No, wait . . . I think there's something I have to do. Something's wrong with Atlantis and I have to help her." He put his hand to the side of his head, the screeching noise in his head making him wince. "I just need to remember . . . I have to help her and I can't remember how."

Teyla and Ronon exchanged a worried look. "Let's go back and you can explain it to Dr. Weir. Maybe that will help you remember."

"Yeah, okay . . . maybe . . . " John's face was tight with pain and he swayed as if dizzy.

Teyla tightened her grip as she touched her radio. "Dr. Weir, we have found John and we are taking him to the infirmary. He is conscious, but seems a bit disoriented."

"I'm not disoriented," argued John to no one in particular.

"_Thank you Teyla, we'll meet you in the infirmary. Call if you need help."_

"We should be fine. John is not happy, but he is coming with us." She lurched forward to tighten her grip on John when his legs briefly gave way. Ronon caught most of John's weight and pulled him back up, where the Colonel seemed to regain his footing.

"I'm tired," John mumbled as he shuffled along.

The walk to the nearest transporter took almost half an hour, with John moving slowly and occasionally losing his balance. Teyla and Ronon kept a guiding and sometimes supporting hand on each arm. A few minutes after exiting the transporter, they led Sheppard into the infirmary to a waiting Dr. Beckett.

"Colonel, if you could just hop up here for me," said Carson, patting one of the beds.

John pulled away from Ronon and sat on the side of the bed. "I have to fix Atlantis. I know how, now, I just need to remember," he said as he rubbed his head.

"All in good time, Colonel. Let's just get your vital signs here and see how you're doing." John sat still and let Carson check his pulse, blood pressure, and temperature, as well as listen with his stethoscope while the others looked on.

"Well?" asked Elizabeth as Carson made some notes on John's chart.

"His pulse is much too rapid and his blood pressure is approaching stroke levels. He's not going anywhere for a while. Colonel, I'm afraid you're going to get some rest and let us monitor you. If your pressure doesn't come down soon, we'll have to have some medical intervention."

John surprised them all by jumping down off the bed. "No, I have to go fix Atlantis." He pushed by Carson and headed for the door. Ronon grabbed him from behind in a bear hug around the chest, pinning his arms to his sides.

"No! Let me go!" John yelled as he struggled to get free. Ronon leaned back a little and John's feet came up off the floor, kicking out but not making any contact. With all leverage gone, John's efforts to get away were futile. A nurse gave Carson a prepared syringe, which he quickly injected into the Colonel's shoulder from behind.

"No, you don't understand . . . you don't . . . understand . . . " John's struggles slowed and then stopped as his body went limp in Ronon's arms. Ronon leaned over to sweep the Colonel's legs up and carry him back to the bed.

"Thank you lad," said Carson. "This is for his own good." The lights went off for several seconds before finally flickering back on. "I just hope it's for our good too."

oOo

Carson had shuffled Elizabeth, Ronon, and Teyla to a waiting area while he examined Sheppard and got him settled. It was over an hour before he returned to give them a report. He dropped into a chair next to Elizabeth, more tired than he'd been in a long time and his head still throbbing with a vengeance.

"He's exhausted and dehydrated, but we've got his blood pressure down a little. It's like he's still trying to run on adrenalin and has been for quite a while. The blood tests might tell us more. Even as sedated as he is, he's still restless, fighting it all the way. I've never seen anything like this."

Elizabeth nodded. "Maybe after he gets some rest, he'll be more coherent and can tell us about what's been happening."

"Aye, I hope so," said Carson, rubbing his eyes.

"Carson, you look like you could use some more sleep." Elizabeth gave a small smile.

"That's what Nick keeps trying to tell me. I think all I really need is one of what the Colonel calls my good ibuprofens and another cup of coffee. You need to get some sleep too."

"Sounds like we should have stayed on Atlantis," said Ronon. "I think you needed help."

The lights went out and the emergency lights came on a few seconds later. "Actually, we might still need help," said Elizabeth.

"_Elizabeth, we've got trouble," _came Rodney's frantic voice over the radio.

Elizabeth sighed. "I'm on my way." She stood and nodded to Carson. "I guess I'll see what's going on now."

"Is Sheppard going to sleep a while?" asked Ronon.

"Aye, I hope for several hours," said Carson.

Ronon and Teyla stood. "Then we'll go with Dr. Weir in case she needs help," said the runner.

"Luck with that," said the tired doctor to their backs as they left the infirmary.

oOo

John opened his eyes, suddenly wide awake and scared. It took a minute for the reason for his anxiety to return to him. Sitting up, he looked around the room. He was in the infirmary. He rubbed his head, giving himself a few moments to catch up to what had happened, but even then he wasn't sure it was accurate. Everything seemed hazy and uncertain, like a dream you could only partially remember. Wincing at a spike of pain in his head, he remembered with frightening clarity what was wrong with Atlantis and how he could fix it.

Throwing the covers back, he glanced around. He could hear voices, but see no one. They had put him in a smaller room with only three beds, no doubt so he would sleep. The room was semi-dark, with what looked like emergency lighting on. John shuddered, realizing the big problems had already begun and he needed to work quickly. A tug on his hand brought his attention to the IV there. Smiling at how expected that was, he carefully peeled back the tape and slid the IV catheter from the vein.

Being barefoot made it easy to slip quietly from the infirmary, but it also made his feet cold. John was wishing he had some shoes or socks as he jogged down the hall. He had to squint, the light from the windows aggravating his headache as he headed for the chair room. The halls were remarkably empty for it to be daylight outside and he was grateful for that. The white scrubs were a dead giveaway that he wasn't supposed to be roaming the corridors.

Relief filled him when he finally reached his destination. He had passed a few people who gave him odd looks and made him afraid that someone would stop him. Time was critical now and he knew it. Sitting down, he concentrated on connecting with Atlantis. The same shocking pain as before filled him, but this time he pushed through it, understanding his quest. Unconsciously gritting his teeth, he moved through the wall of agony until he found her, struggling to repair her damaged systems.

_I'm here, _he thought. _We can do this together. _Atlantis accepted his comfort and joined with him in a way he'd never experienced. Pain and ecstasy vied for the top position as he and the city became one in their efforts to repair everything before it was too late.

oOo

"Ohcrapohcrapohcrap, we're so screwed!" rambled Rodney as his hands danced over the computer keyboard.

"Rodney, what is it?" asked Elizabeth over the blare of the gate alarm. In the background, the stargate could be heard dialing. "Who's dialing the gate?"

"No one," said Rodney. "It's the system malfunctioning. It's dialing itself." As he finished speaking, the gate shut down, but the alarm continued. A few seconds later, the gate began dialing again.

"Rodney, do something!" yelled Elizabeth.

Rodney stopped typing and turned, his face red with both fear and anger. "Look, I do _not_ work faster when yelled at, I don't care what Sheppard's told you. Now lay off if you want me to have any chance of fixing this before the ZPM overloads and we're blown into the next solar system."

Elizabeth felt the blood drain from her face. "The ZPM is overloading?"

"I think I just said that. You might try listening next time. Now be quiet." Rodney continued his frantic work at the keyboard, trying to ignore the bead of sweat beginning to roll down the side of his face. He suddenly stopped and sat back, his eyes wide. "What the . . . "

Elizabeth dared to take a step closer. "What? What's happening?"

Rodney stared in disbelief. "It's . . . it's fixing itself. I don't know how, but . . . oh, I would never have done that. Okay, I see what . . . but how is this happening?" Rodney suddenly sighed and looked around at Elizabeth. "Where's Sheppard?"

"The infirmary. Carson has him knocked out for several hours."

Rodney smirked. "I think I'd have him look again." The scientist turned back to the screen and watched for a moment. "Oh, I see what they're doing. I can help with that." He quickly began pecking on the keyboard again. The alarm suddenly shut off, making the control room seem freakishly quiet.

"Thank God," muttered Elizabeth as she stepped a few feet away and hit her radio. "Carson, it's Elizabeth. Is John still there?"

"_I'm sure he is, but I'll check." _The sound of shuffling and movement briefly filled the radio. _Oh, bloody heck, the bugger's gone."_

Elizabeth smiled. "Rodney thinks he's fixing Atlantis. I'm guessing the chair room."

"Tell Carson to let him finish if he doesn't want to die today," suggested Rodney.

"Rodney says you'd better let him finish if you don't want to die today."

"_When this is over, I'm sedating him for three days and putting him in restraints so the rest of us can get some rest."_

"Carson."

"_All right, I'm not, but I'll be tempted. I'm taking a team to check on him and bring him back here the minute he's done."_

"Understood. We'll meet you there as soon as this mess is over." Elizabeth turned to find Teyla and Ronon grinning at her.

oOo

John relaxed. The last system was repaired. He and Atlantis comforted one another as the pain finally began sliding away. In its wake was exhaustion, but also a peace he hadn't felt in a long time. The screaming in his head had been replaced with a tired, but melodic hum. The separation left an ache inside him and he reached out for her. But he was tired and didn't have the energy to join with her again.

"Colonel?"

John opened his eyes to find Beckett hovering over him. "She's okay now," he whispered, a smile spreading across his tired face.

"_Carson, I think he's done now. All systems seem to be back on and functioning."_

"Aye, lad, you did it."

"No, we did it . . . together. I'm tired." John's eyes drifted closed.

"I've no doubt you are," said Carson. He turned to the two medics he'd brought with him. "Let's get him on the gurney."

oOo

Carson stood with Elizabeth, Ronon, Teyla, and Rodney around the foot of John's bed watching Nick adjust the IV drip and check the monitors. Although the Colonel was pale, his features were relaxed, his expression almost peaceful. His chest rose and fell with his even breaths, the only movement he made.

"You're sure he's okay?" asked Elizabeth. "He's so still."

Carson nodded. "As near as we can tell, he's simply sleeping. I'm just glad to see his blood pressure and heart rate down to normal for the first time in days."

Ronon grunted. "That's a lot of machines for someone who's just sleeping."

Nick had to choke back a laugh. "It's just a precaution. We don't actually know what his session in the chair did and he was apparently on an adrenalin high for over two days. We just want to monitor things for a while to be certain he's really okay."

Ronon nodded, appearing to approve of the extra attention given to Sheppard. "Never hurts to be careful."

Rodney snorted. "No joke, especially with Colonel Trouble."

Teyla arched one eyebrow at the scientist. "I know that we were not here for all that has happened, but was the Colonel not correct with his insistence that something was wrong with the city?"

Rodney grimaced and crossed his arms. "Okay, he was right. But it's not like it was fair. He had an inside connection. How was I supposed to know what was wrong with Atlantis when it wasn't showing up on any of her systems? And all Sheppard would tell me is that something was wrong. What the heck does that mean, something is wrong? That could be anything or it could be nothing."

Elizabeth cleared her throat. "Rodney, no one is blaming you for not finding the problem earlier. The important thing is that John found it and fixed it . . . the two of you fixed it before things got critical. We should probably let John get some rest now."

Carson nodded. "Aye, I think that's a right good idea. I think maybe we could all use some down time right about now."

Ronon looked down at Teyla. "I'm good. You want to spar?"

Teyla nodded and looked at Ronon smugly. "I feel well enough to spar. Sticks?"

Ronon answered as the group turned to walk away. "No sticks, you know I'm not as skilled as you . . . yet."

"Chicken?" goaded Teyla.

Elizabeth and Carson chuckled at the Earth reference. "I think we're corrupting them," commented Elizabeth.

"Aye, I have no doubt of that."

oOo

John opened his eyes and blinked, his mind fuzzy with sleep. Lifting his head a moment, he gazed around the dark, quiet infirmary. Shifting in the bed, he stretched and smiled. He could feel the gentle, almost happy thrum of Atlantis. Everything was still okay. Although he was still tired beyond words, the pain was gone, as was the nervous energy from before. He lay there for several minutes, waiting to go back to sleep. Something was missing. Smiling, he realized what it was.

Sitting up, he was happy to discover no IV, although he did find a fresh bandage on his forearm where one had undoubtedly been. Monitoring equipment sat around his bed, indicating he'd probably been connected to it at one point and making John wonder how long he'd been out of it. He stood, leaning heavily against the bed for a moment, before grabbing the blanket and slipping quietly from the infirmary. Smiling, he wondered just how much trouble he'd be in this time.

oOo

Rodney sat in Carson's office, his feet propped up on a second chair. "Anyway, apparently the information Radek and I got off that Ancient console was so corrupted that it not only messed up my computer, but got out into the main systems of the city and began trying to override them. It was meant to improve the city's operating systems, but the program was so degraded, not to mention unfinished, that all it did was eat away at the regular programming."

"Why did it take so long to show up?" asked Carson.

Rodney shrugged his shoulders. "I guess it took that long to corrupt enough systems to be detectable. Plus, I suspect Atlantis was trying to heal itself as the damage was done, she just couldn't keep up."

"And she was calling to Colonel Sheppard for help," said Carson.

"Obviously. How long is he going to sleep, by the way? What's it been, nearly forty hours?"

"We've had him up a few times to visit the facilities, and he managed to get a few bites of soup down earlier. Although he was so out of it, I doubt he'll remember any of that. He was exhausted, Rodney. That little session in the chair drained him completely, on top of two days with practically no sleep."

"Yeah, well, enough is enough. I say let's wake him up and find out exactly what did happen in the chair."

"Doctor?"

Carson looked up at the nurse in the doorway. "Yes, Amy?"

"He's gone again, sir."

"Bloody heck," mumbled Carson as he got to his feet. He walked out of his office with Rodney and the two of them followed the nurse to the empty bed, missing its blanket. "Where's he gone this time?"

Rodney snapped his fingers and grinned. "I'll bet I know. Stay here and I'll radio you in a few minutes."

Several minutes later, Rodney approached the chair room. Easing into the doorway, he stood looking at Sheppard, curled up in the chair and partially wrapped in a blanket. He quietly moved in closer, smiling at the peaceful, almost childlike expression on the Colonel's face. Well, with a couple days growth of beard, childlike probably wasn't the right description.

Rodney leaned over and pulled some of the blanket so that it covered the rest of the pilot's legs. As he straightened, John's eyelids fluttered and he looked up at Rodney.

"Go back to sleep, Sheppard," he said softly.

John just smiled and closed his eyes, snuggling a little deeper into the chair and pulling the blanket closer. Rodney tiptoed out of the room, stopping just outside the door to activate his radio.

"Carson," he whispered. "I found him."

"_Where are you? And why are we whispering?"_

"He's curled up asleep in the chair and I'm trying not to wake him."

"_What's he doing there? I'll send a gurney to fetch him."_

"No, I think I'd leave him for a while. He's okay. He's safe and happy, just like a child in his mother's arms."

THE END

_Yeah, I know, cheesy. You know by now I can't help it. Would you believe this was originally going to be short, as in barely one chapter? Anyway, hugs and kisses to you all!_


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